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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: jam · ruler · pit · hide · ball · cabinet · straw · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. ball — a great time
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. pit — in a race
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pit — a hole
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. hide — animal skin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com